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Earlier in September, our granddaughter Zoe was very focused on only one event. With Ron as he ran several errands, she announced to all:

"My birthday is next week and my Grandpa will not be there!"

She thoughtfully changed the wording to include "Grandma" when she was with me. Very significant. My daughter sent this photo today as she went off to her second day of kindergarten. And wore the shrug I'd knitted and gave her at her birthday party.

The chocolate sourdough cake, large enough to serve many, found online at Cooks.com, is same recipe that had its first baking for my final PSU Street Art class in the spring. The vintage cake carrier is something I long ago purchased for its fit into an imaginary, alternative life I'd never had where people used these--maybe early 20th century. Now I can feel it is slightly integrated into my own life!

The shrug was the third one knitted from the same pattern. Used Mission Falls 1824 Cotton on both, lovely stuff, went out of business earlier this year though some still available through diligent searches. Earlier, made one for her three year old sister's birthday in August. Eliana (at left in photo) immediately threw it on the floor so it is in a kind of limbo life at the moment. Then there's the one for Roxie that we will take to New York.

Late summer has brought the tomato bounty from the roof of our retirement community. Ron's plant (every resident who puts up five dollars gets one of these) prospered this year. Small tomatoes to the many bloggers with house gardens. No match for the over-large crop he would plant behind our house in Baltimore. This, however, is a good addition to our Portland urban life in a 12-story retirement community.

But can other gardeners in suburban Maryland or upstate New York find a portrait tomato like this one? Do you recall the delightful Nixon eggplant?

Some even ask, "Where is he now?" Speculate that he looks pretty good compared to today's Republican candidates.

But let's return to my challenge: a name for Ron's tomato. Two other views--from above, from below-- may inspire further.

"Early Girl" was the variety he chose this year, so you might want to think of this particular tomato's personality as female.